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Three recent cases in which people kill or attempt to kill immediate family members

Posted: 11:30 AM, Jul 03, 2016

Updated:2016-07-03 23:54:13Z

By:
Scripps National Desk

WCPO.com

<p>The Warren County Sheriff's Office is seen at a home in Clearcreek Twp., Warren County, Ohio after a man shot his estranged wife and brother-in-law there on Saturday, July 2, 2016. </p>

In a disturbing trend that has developed over the last week, people across the U.S. have killed or attempted to kill their immediate family.

Man shoots wife, brother-in-law in Ohio
A man allegedly shot his estranged wife and his brother-in-law before fatally shooting himself at a home in Warren County, Ohio on Saturday, July 2. WCPO television station reports the woman was shot in the head
, and as of Sunday morning she was in critical condition.

The other victim was shot in the groin. Children and others were in the home at the time of the shootings.

The incident is still under investigation and no motive has been announced.

Texas mom kills daughters after calling family meeting
22-year-old Taylor Sheats and her sister, 17-year-old Madison Sheats, are dead after their mother, Christy Sheats, pulled a gun out of a couch and shot them. Christy Sheats also attempted to kill her husband, Jason Sheats, but he was able to hide and eventually escape during the incident that occurred at their Katy, Texas home on June 24.

Christy Sheats was killed by police after refusing to put her gun down. Police say Christy Sheats' motivation was to cause her husband to suffer because of their daughters' deaths. Jason Sheats said his wife was depressed and that the two were headed for divorce.

Mom in Tennessee accused of fatally stabbing four children
Four children were stabbed to death on Friday, July 1 at a Memphis, Tennessee apartment complex, and police say their mother is the suspect
. The children were all age 4 or younger. One was a 6-month-old baby.

A fifth child, age 7, was able to escape. Shaynthia Gardner, 29, was arrested for the stabbing, and police have not released a possible motive.

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